For shading gardens, you will want a shade tree that grows quite speedily and to provide plenty of shade. There are a multitude of shade trees available. With this wide variety, finding a shade tree for your garden should be quite easy and fast.
You will want to choose a variety that will grow extremely fast and one that will provide the shade your garden will need. There are things that you can do to help speed up the growth of the tree.
Shade Tree Categories
There are two general shade tree categories: short-lived and long-lived varieties. For temporary shade for your garden you should choose the short-lived variety. However, you can choose a long-loved tree for many years to come. This will give you an option of what if you do not want to plant a garden in this spot every year.
With a short-lived tree, you may be looking for a shade tree that has a speedy growth rate. A short-lived shade tree that grows rapidly, the root system of the tree will be rather aggressive. With this style of a tree it shouldn’t be planted need septic tanks, water lines or gas lines.
The short-lived trees with aggressive roots will shoot out rapidly once they have taken roots in the area they are planted. You will want to place the tree in an area that will be relative to the garden you want to shade. The tree should be placed in the southern or western side of the garden you are wanting to be shaded.
Soil Preparation for Shade Trees
In preparing the soil for the shade trade is the easiest way to help the growth of the tree. The hole for the root ball should be as big as possible.
Before replacing the soil back into the hole to cover the shade tree, the soil should be worked over well. This allows the roots penetration of the soil, easier. You should also consider adding nutrients and fertilizer to the removed soil before adding back into the hole.
You should try to use as many organic materials as possible for mulching around the tree. By mulching with bark or branches this will help with water maintenance of the shade tree and encourage faster growth.
Purchasing a Shade Tree
Many trees when purchased have their root balls wrapped in burlap for protection. Planting a shade tree wrapped in burlap should be plated between fall and early spring.
In some cases, you will find trees grown in plastic gallon containers. The trees grown in containers can be planted any time during the year.
Some trees which can be found in containers may be bare rooted. This type of shade tree growing means there isn’t any soil in the container with the roots. Bare root shade trees should be planted in winter or early spring.
You will want to check any trees grown in containers for root constriction. With root constriction in containers, this could cause the roots to grow in circles once it is planted. Once you have purchased your shade tree, you should constantly add water after being purchased and before planting.
Planting and Mulching Your Shade Tree
You will want to plant the shade tree in the ground at the right depth. You will not want to compress the soil too much upon replacing it around the tree.
You should water the tree immediately after planting and before placing a layer of mulch around the trunk. The mulch should be organic as mentioned before and have at least a two-inch layer. Usually, one or two bags of mulch will be sufficient depending on the size of the shade tree being planted.
Fertilizing Your Shade Tree
With the first segment of the life of the tree, nitrogen fertilizer should be used. Nitrogen fertilized comes with instructions on how much and often it should be used. You will not want to over fertilize your shade tree when it is young.
Normally, you should wait for a year before fertilizing your shade tree. The nitrogen fertilizer should be adequately watered down before adding it to the base of the tree.
You can check out a book about planting shade trees at your local library for more information. By preparing yourself and the area you want to plant your shade tree for your garden before the purchase can help create the perfect environment for your tree.
